Agadir, city, western Morocco, seaport on the Atlantic Ocean. It is situated within a mining region; lead, manganese, and zinc are shipped by way of the excellent natural harbor of the city. The chief industries in Agadir are fishing, fish canning, and the manufacture of light metal products. An international airport is located near the city. Agadir was founded as a Portuguese settlement around 1500 and came under Moroccan rule about 1536. In 1911, at the height of the controversy caused by Franco-German rivalry in Morocco, Germany sent the warship Panther to Agadir. The incident, which nearly precipitated a general European war, led to the establishment of a French protectorate in Morocco in 1912. In 1960 Agadir was devastated by two earthquakes; about 15,000 people died. Rebuilding of the city was begun shortly thereafter. Population (1994) 550,200.
